Overview of NCAA Men’s Tournament Participation
Throughout the extensive history of the men’s NCAA tournament, now featuring 68 teams, it is quite astonishing that numerous programs are still striving for their inaugural appearance in March Madness.
Since the tournament’s beginning in 1939, there have been countless opportunities for teams to compete. Despite having hundreds of Division I men’s basketball teams currently eligible, several have yet to make it to the NCAA tournament. It’s important to note that more teams will become eligible following their completion of the transition to Division I.
Recent Entrants
SIUE, Omaha, High Point, and UC San Diego are the latest teams to escape this category, each securing their first NCAA tournament bid in 2025.
Teams Without NCAA Tournament Appearances
Below is a comprehensive list of schools that have never participated in the men’s NCAA tournament. Remember, winning a conference tournament allows an eligible team to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
| School | CONFERENCE |
|---|---|
| Army | Patriot |
| Bellarmine* | ASUN |
| Bethune-Cookman | SWAC |
| Cal Baptist | WAC |
| Central Arkansas | ASUN |
| Chicago State | NEC |
| The Citadel | SoCon |
| Denver | Summit League |
| Elon | CAA |
| Incarnate Word | Southland |
| Kansas City | Summit League |
| Maine | America East |
| Maryland Eastern Shore | MEAC |
| Merrimack | NEC |
| New Hampshire | America East |
| NJIT | America East |
| North Alabama | ASUN |
| Presbyterian | Big South |
| Purdue Fort Wayne | Horizon League |
| Quinnipiac | MAAC |
| Sacramento State | Big Sky |
| Sacred Heart | MAAC |
| South Dakota | Summit League |
| Tarleton State* | WAC |
| UC Riverside | Big West |
| UMass Lowell | America East |
| USC Upstate | Big South |
| UT Martin | Ohio Valley |
| UTRGV | Southland |
| Utah Tech* | WAC |
| Utah Valley | WAC |
| Western Illinois | Ohio Valley |
| William & Mary | CAA |
| Youngstown State | Horizon League |
*Eligible for the first time for the 2024-25 season after completing the transition to DI
Transitioning Teams
NOTE: East Texas A&M, Le Moyne, Lindenwood, Mercyhurst, Queens, Southern Indiana, Stonehill, St. Thomas, and West Georgia are not eligible for the 2025 tournament, as they are still completing their transition into DI.
Growth of the Tournament
The NCAA tournament has evolved from its original eight teams to 16 in 1951, and it continued to expand until reaching the common format of 64 teams in 1985. Play-in games have been introduced over the years and became a permanent element in 2001 when the total number of participating teams increased to 65. In 2011, the format was further adjusted to include the First Four, allowing 68 teams to compete each year since.
Unique Cases
Notably, two teams have participated in the NCAA tournament without being included in the traditional bracket format most recognize. Houston Baptist qualified for the preliminary round in 1984 when 53 teams were in competition but lost to Alcorn State. Similarly, Alabama A&M secured the SWAC title in 2005, marking the school’s only automatic bid, but was eliminated by Oakland in the tournament’s play-in game.
Consistent Eligibility Without Participation
A select group of four teams has been eligible for every NCAA tournament but has not yet made an appearance. Northwestern garnered significant attention in 2017 when they not only made their first NCAA tournament but also secured a victory, challenging the eventual runner-up Gonzaga in the second round. The other teams that have been eligible for every tournament without participation are Army, William & Mary, and The Citadel.
Historical Context
In 1968, Army did qualify for the NCAA tournament but chose to decline the invitation, believing they would perform better in the NIT, a decision that resulted in a first-round loss to Notre Dame.
